Dispensing device



0t 17, 1944. l. HEDsTRM 2,360,418

' DISPENSING'DEVICE Filed Jan. 3l, 1941 I ZSheets-Sheet' 1 /0/4. u 1N ToRv Lars eclstrom Z `I Q l ATTORNEYS Oct. 17, .1944. HEDSTRM 2,360,418

DISPENS ING DEVICE Filed Jan. 31, 1941 2 Sheets-*Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Lars Hedsrom ATTORNEYS Patented Oct'. 17, 15944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING DEVICE Lars Hedstrm, West Orange, N. J.

Application January 31, 1941, Serial No. 376,759

16 Claims..

This invention relates to dispensing devices and more particularly to a cigarette dispenser.

One of the objects of this invention is to pro'- vide a dispensing device which is simple, thoroughly practical, and durable in use.k Another object is to provide a construction of the above character which will be sturdy and well able to withstand hard usage. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character which may be quickly and easily operated by the user. Another object is to provide a construction. of the above character which has aY minimum of individual parts, thus greatly facilitating the as,- sembly thereof. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character which may be manufactured from inexpensive materials Without undue labor costs and which will be neat and attractive in appearance. A further object is to provide a cigarette dispensing device which may be operated to dispense a cigarette of any one of a plurality of different brands of cigarettes. A still furtlier object is to provide a dispensing device of the above character which may be easily and quickly relled. Other objects Will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the. features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described, and the scope oi the application of which Will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings` in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the dispensing device;

Figure 2 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1^;

Figure 3 is a vertical section similar to Figure 2 but with the parts positioned as they would be at the end of the iirst stage of operation of the device; and,

Figure 4 is a vertical section similar to Figure 2 but with certain portions thereof broken away and having the parts positioned as they wouldy be at the end of the second stage of operation of the device.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the draw-` ings.

Referring now to the drawings in general, the dispenser nhas a base, generally indicated at IIJ, upon which are pivotally mounted for movement independently of each other a cylindrically shaped carriage, generally indicated at II, and a shell, generally indicated at I2. Carriage II has a plurality o-f compartments A, B, and C therein (Figure 2), and each compartment in use contains a different brand of cigarettes. The operator by first rotating the carriage to properly position the compartment containing the brand of cigarette desired and then by rotating the outer shell in unison with the carriage to operate a discharge opening may cause a cigarette to be dispensed from any one of the three compartments, all as will be fully described hereinafter.

As best seen in Figures 1 and 2, carriage II, which contains the cigarette compartments, has a cylindrically shaped casing Wall 2G andY a bottom wall 2-I which extends between and are secured to a pair of end walls 22V and 23. A series of compartment walls 24, 25, 26 and I0 are secured'- to end walls 22 and, 23, and to casing wall 20; These walls divide the int'erior of the carriage into three compartments A, B and C' whichr are designed to carry cigarettes. When the carriage is in rest position, as sho-wn in Figure 2, these walls 24, 25, 2B and 1U, which are parallel to each other, slant downwardly toward the leithand ends of the compartments, Which are open and through which the cigarettes are discharged. Thus', as the carriage during operation moves in a' counterclockwise direction and then returns to thev position of rest. shown in Figure 2, the compartment, walls always slant toward the discharger openings of the compartments and insure tha-t the cigarettes therein are always positioned parallel' to the discharge openings.

Shell I2, which is positioned externally of carriage II, has a pair of curved side wall's 2T and 28" (Figure 2), which are concentric tothe ciuvature ofl casing wall 20 and are secured to a pair ofi` end Walls 29 and 30 (Figures 1 and 2'). The inner diameter of shell I2 is slightly greater than the outer dimensions of carriage I-I, and its end walls 29 and 30' are fitted ybetween end Walls I4 and I5 of base I0. Carriage II and shell l2 are pivotally mounted between the end walls of base IB o'n pins I6 and I.'I', and the top I3," of the recessed center portion of base. I0. has a curvature having the axis of.` carriage I IA as its center. The radius of this curvature is slightly greater than they radius of the carriage, thus,- permitting rotational movement of carriage II on pins I6 and I1 in the recessed portionor cradle formed in the base;

Rotational movement of shell I2 in a counteryclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2, is

limited by the lower edge of a flange, generally indicated at 32, abutting against the slanting bottom 33 of a trough, generally indicated at 34 (Figure l). Movement of the shell in a clockwise direction is limited by a combination counterweight and stop, generally indicated at 35. Counterweight-stop 35 extends longitudinally across the lower edge of side wall 28 and is pivotally mounted between end walls 29 and 39 by a pin 3-5. Stop 35 has an inwardly projecting portion 31 which normally lies in the path of the right-hand lower edge of carriage II limiting clockwise movement thereof, and also has a flange portion 33, the weight of which maintains portion 31 in the path of carriage II and by means of which the user may swing stop 35 in a counterclockwise direction to the position indicated by the dotted line 39. Because its weight overbalances the side 21 of shell I2, stop 35 normally rests on base I5, and when shell I2 is moved in a counterclockwise direction, stop 35 acts as a counterweight causing shell I2 to return to its original position. Carriage II also carries a counterweight 40 which extends along the right-hand side of its bottom 2I (Figure 2). This causes the carriage after operation of the device to return to its rest position at which the lower right-hand edge of the carriage engages stop 35.

When it is desired to rell compartments A, B, and C of carriage II, flange 38 of stop 35 is raised to the position indicated by the dotted line 39. This moves the projection 31 of the stop out of the path of the lower edge f carriage II and permits counterweight 40 to cause the carriage to rotate in a clockwise direction to a position indicated by the dotted line 4i. 'I'his positions the open ends of the compartments in the open top of shell I2 so that they may be readily filled. After refilling, the carriage is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, and when the lower edge of the carriage passes the projecting portion of stop 35, the weight of flange 38 causes stop 35 to pivot, bringing projecting portion 31 again into the path of the carriage to hol-d it in its normal positon of rest.

Referring now to Figure 2, flange 32, which may be stamped out of shell side wall 21, extends outwardly and thence downwardly to form a clearance space 42, thence outwardly and downwardly again to form a pocket 43. Below flange 32, the lower portion 44 of wall 21 continues to the lower edges of end walls 29 and 30, and portions of end walls 29 and 30 preferably cover the ends of pocket 43. The lower edge 3I of flange 32 is positioned slightly more than the width of a cigarette above the bottom 33 (Figure 2) of trough 34 (Figure 1) when the carriage and shell are in their normal positions of rest, thus permitting a cigarette to escape thereunder when the device is operated in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter.

Positioned inwardly from flange 32 in a position to cover the inner open side of pocket 43 when the carriage and shell are in their rest positions (Figure 2) is a retaining plate 45. This plate extends through two slots 46 and 41 (Figures 1 and 2.) formed in the end walls of the shell and has its ends secured to end walls I4 and I of base IG by screws 43, one of which is shown in Figure 1. Retaining plate 45 is positioned imnediately above and in the same plane as the lower portion 44 of shell side 21 and slots 45 and 41 extend upwardly above plate 45 a distance equal to the amount shell I2 moves in a counterclockwise direction during operation of the device. Immediately below the lower portion 44 of side 21 a cut-out 49 is formed in base I0. Thus, at the end o-f the counterclockwise movement of the shell, plate 44 is positioned in cut-out portion 49, retaining plate 45 is positioned in clearance space 42, and the inner side of pocket 43 is open to carriage I I,

Carriage I I is preferably rotated by the iinger of the user, and to permit the user to dispense a cigarette from any one of the three compartments at will, three finger grips 52, 53, and 54 are provided in the top portion of carriage II. In order to dispense a cigarette from a compartment, the carriage is rst rotated until the bottom of that compartment is in alignment with the lower edge of retaining plate 45. Thus, each finger grip is spaced from the upper edge 55 of shell side 21 a distance equal to the amount of counterclockwise movement necessary to bring its compartment into proper registry with retaining plate 45. Thus, for example, if it is desired to obtain a cigarette from the B compartment, a nger is placed in linger grip 53 (Figure 2) and then the carriage is rotated until the lower edge of compartment B is in alignment with the lower edge of plate 45 (Figure 3). When the compartment has been thus positioned, the first stage of operation is complete.

Next, upon further movement of the nger in a counter clockwise direction, the shell and carriage move in unison because the finger strikes the upper edge 55 of shell I2. During this stage, compartment B moves downwardly until its bot tom is in alignment with the sloping bottom 33 of trough 34, movement in this direction being limited .by the lower edge 3I of flange 32 abutting against trough bottom 33 (Figure 4). At the end of this stage, plate 45 is positioned in clearance space 42, and the lower portion 44 of shell side 21 is positioned in cut-out 49. Thus, the space between the lower edge of retaining plate 45 and the upper inner end of trough bottom 33 is no longer covered by the lower portion 44 of side wall 21, and, because of the slant of the compartment B, a cigarette rolls through this opening into pocket 43. As the width of this pocket is approximately equal to the width of one cigarette, only one cigarette may leave the compartment at a time.

When the user releases his downward pressure, the counterweights on the carriage and shell cause them to rotate in a clockwise direction to their normal positions of rest (Figure 2). During this third stage of operation, flange 32 and the lower portion 44 of wall 21 move upwardly releasing the cigarette from pocket 43 and closing the opening between retaining plate 45 and portion 44.

As pointed out hereinabove, the bottom of trough 34 (Figures 1 and 2) slantsdownwardly, and the cigarette when released from pocket 43 rolls downwardly thereon between end walls I4 and I5. A pair of flanges 50 (Figure 1) is provided at the lower end of the slanting surface which extend upwardly and thus stop the cigarette at the lower end of the trough. A cut-out portion 5I is provided in the center portion o! the trough, and thus, when the cigarette has come to rest against flanges 50, it may be readily picked up by the operator of the dispenser.

The linger grips 52, 53, and 54 are preferably labelled with the names of the brands of cigarettes in the compartments they dispense cigarettes from. Thus, to summarize the operation,

when a cigarette ofV any of the plurality ofv types of brands in theI container is. desired,V the user places his finger on the nger grip,v bearing the name of the brand selected and thenrotates the shell and carriage in a counterclockvvisedirection until they stop. The user then. releasesthe shell and carriage and one of theselected. brand of cigarettes is immediately available.

Thus, a practical, eicient, anddurable cigarette dispenser` has been disclosedwhich is. inexpensive to manufacture and from which the user may easily and quickly obtain any one ofia number of brands of cigarettes. Furthermore,v the compartments may be readily reilledin a: simple and eflicie'nt manner. It willV also be seen that the several objects disclosed hereinabove,. as-.well as many others, havebeen. successfully accomplished.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention', and as many changes might be made in the. embodiment-,above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinabove set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and notl in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In dispensing apparatus,.in combination', a base, a member pivotally mountedk on said base, a plurality of compartments formedinsaid member, each of said compartments being adapted to u contain a lplurality of articles andv having. an opening formed thereinf and closure means closing said openings, said closure means and said member being manually operable to selectively dispense` an article from any one of said compartments.

2. In dispensing apparatus, in combination, a base,y a member rotatably mounted on said base, a plurality of compartments formed insaid member, each of said compartments being adapted to contain a plurality of articles and having an opening formed therein, closure means closing said openings, said member being manually rotatable in one direction to change the position of said closure means and' thus release' an article from any one of said4 compartments, and a counterweight positioned on said member adapted to rotate said member in the opposite direction to close said opening when the manual pressure required to rotate said member is released.

3'. In dispensing apparatus, in combination, av base, a member rotatably mountedy on said base, a plurality of compartments formed in said member each adapted toA contain a plurality of articles and havingopen sides, closure meansv closing the open sides of said compartments, said closure means having a discharge opening formed therein, and means normally closing said di"- charge opening, said first-mentioned means and said rotatably mounted member being manually movable to selectively dispense an article from any one of said compartments through said discharge opening.

4. In dispensing apparatus, in combination, a

base, a member rotatably mounted on said base,A

a compartment adapted to contain a plurality of cigarettes formed in said member, said cornpartment having an opening therein longitudinally disposed With respect to said cigarettes and to the axis of said rotatably mounted member,

closure means for said opening, said closure means having a discharge opening formed' therein, and means normally closing said discharge opening, said rst-mentioned means and said rotatably mounted member being manually movable to dispense said cigarettes from said compartment through said discharge opening.

5. In dispensing apparatus, in combination, a base, a member rotatably mounted on said base, a plurality of compartments formed in said member each adapted to contain a plurality of articles, the sides of said compartments being open, closure means covering the open sides of said compartments, said closure means having a discharge opening formed therein, means normally closing said discharge opening, said first-mentioned means and said rotatably mounted member being manually movable to selectively dispense an article from any one of said compartments through said discharge opening, and counterweights positioned on said rotatably mounted member and on said closure means, whereby after said member and said means are moved to open said discharge opening, said closure means and said rotatably mounted member are returned to their original positions by said counterweights.

6. In dispensing apparatus, in combination, a base, a member rotatably mounted on said base, a compartment adapted to contain a plurality of cigarettes formed in said member, said compartment having an opening therein longitudinally disposed with respect to said cigarettes and to the axis of said rotatably mounted member, closure means for said opening, said closure means having a discharge opening formed therein, means normally closing said discharge opening, said first-mentioned means and said rotatably mounted member being manually movable to dispense said cigarettes from said compartment through said discharge opening, and counterweights positioned on said rotatably mounted member and on said closure means, whereby after said member and said means are moved to open said discharge opening, said closure means and said rotatably mounted member are returned to their original positions by said counterweights. v

'7. In dispensing apparatus, in combination, a base, a cylindrically shaped member rotatably mounted on said base, a plurality of compartments having open sides formed in said cylindrically shaped member, nger grips formed on the external surface oi said cylindrical member for each of said compartments, a closure member covering the open ends of said compartments, said closure member having a discharge opening therein, and means closing said discharge opening, said cylindrical member being rotatable by said finger grips a'suilcient amount to bring the compartment coacting with the finger grip used into proper registry with said discharge opening, said closure member then being movable in unison with said cylindrically mounted member to change the position of said closure means to open said discharge opening, whereby an article may be selectively dispensed from any one of said compartments.

8. In dispensing apparatus, in combination, a base, a cylindrically shaped member rotatably mounted on said base, a plurality of compartments having open sides formed in said cylindrically shaped member, finger grips formed on the external surface of said cylindrical member for each of said compartments, a closure member covering the open sides of said compartments, said closure member having a discharge opening therein, means closing said discharge opening, said cylindrical member being rotatable by said iinger grips a sucient amount to bring the compartment coacting with the iinger grip used into proper registry with said discharge opening, said closure member being movable in unison with said cylindrically mounted member to change the position of said closure means, whereby an article may pass through said discharge opening, and counterweights positioned on said rotatably mounted member and said closure member which tend tol move said closure member and said rotatable member in the opposite direction from which they are manually moved, whereby after an article has been discharged from said discharge opening and the manual pressure on said closure member and said rotatably mounted member has been released, said closure member and said rotatably mounted member return to their original positions,

9. In dispensing apparatus, in combination. a base, a cylindrically shaped member rotatably mounted on said base, a plurality of compartments having open sides formed in said cylindrically shaped member, finger grips formed on the external surface of said cylindrical member for each of said compartments, a closure member closing the open sides of said compartments, said closure member having a discharge opening therein, means forming a pocket externally of said discharge opening on said closure member, closure means positioned inwardly of said discharge opening for closing said opening, said cylindrical member being rotatable by said finger grips a suiicient amount to bring the compartment coacting with the finger grip used into proper registry with the discharge opening, said closure member then being operable in unison with said cylindrically mounted member to change the position of said closure means so that an article may pass through said discharge opening into said pocket, and counterweights positioned on said closure member and on said rotatably mounted member whichtend to return said closure member and said rotatably mounted member to their original positions, whereby said pocket forming means is moved upwardly to release said article therefrom.

10. In dispensing apparatus, in combination, a base, a member rotatably mounted on said hase, a plurality of compartments formed in said member each adapted to contain a plurality of articles, said compartments having openings therein extending longitudinally thereof and parallel to the axis of said rotatably mounted member, pivotally mounted closure means for closing said openings, a discharge opening formed in said closure means, means normally closing said discharge opening, said rst-mentioned means and said rotatably mounted member being manually rotatable to dispense one of said articles from any one of said compartments through said discharge opening, and a pair of counterweights, one of said counterweights being positioned on said rotatably mounted member adapted to turn said rotatably mounted member to its original position after an article has been discharged therefrom, and the other of said counterweights being positioned on said rotatably mounted closure means adapted to return said closure means to its original position after the operation thereof, said last-mentioned counterweight also serving as a sto-p to limit rotational movement of said cylindrically mounted member through action by its counterweight.

11. In dispensing apparatus, in combination, a

base, a cylindrically shaped member rotatably mounted on said base, a plurality of compartments formed in said member, each of said compartments being adapted-to carry a plurality or' cigarettes and having openings formed therein extending longitudinally thereof parallel to the axis of said rotatably mounted member, a closure member covering said openings, a discharge opening in said closure member through wh1ch said cigarettes may be discharged by manual operation of said closure member and said cylindrically shaped member, and a stop member positioned in the path of rotation of said cylindrical member to prevent rotation thereof in one direction, said stop member being removable from the path of said cylindrical member, whereby said cylindrical member may be rotated to move the open ends of said compartments to a position at which they are not closed by said closure member and thus may be relled.

12. In dispensing apparatus, in combination, a base, a cylindrical member rotatably mounted on said base, a plurality of compartments formed in said member, each of said compartments being adapted to carry a plurality of cigarettes and having openings formed therein extending longitudinally of said compartment and parallel to the axis of said rotatably mounted member, a discharge opening formed in said closure member through which said cigarettes may be discharged by manual operation of said closure member and said cylindrical member, a counterweight on said member tending to rotate said cylindrical member in the opposite direction from which it is rotated to discharge an article through said discharge opening, and a stop member lying in the path of rotation of said cylindrical member to prevent rotation thereof by said counterweight beyond a certain point, said stop member being removable from the path of said cylindrical member, whereby said counterweight may rotate said cylindrical member to move the open ends of said compartments to a position at which they arenot closed by said closure member.

13. In dispensing apparatus, in combination, a base, a carriage having a cylindrically shaped upper portion pivotally mounted on said base, a plurality of compartments formed in said carriage, each of said compartments having an opening formed therein extending longitudinally of the cylindrically shaped side wall and parallel to the pivotal axis of said carriage, said openings being positioned immediately above each other, a shell member pivotally mounted on said base and having a curved side wall covering the open ends of said compartments, a discharge opening formed in the lower portion of the curved side wall of said shell, a flange extending outwardly and thence downwardly from the upper edge of said opening to form a pocket in said shell and a retaining plate covering said discharge opening, said carriage and said shell being manually movable to rst position one of said compartments at the discharge opening and then to change the position of said retaining plate and thus open said discharge opening, whereby an article from the compartment positioned may enter said pocket from which it is released upon movement of said shell in the opposite direction.

14. In dispensing apparatus, in combination, a base, a cylindrically shaped member rotatably mounted on said base, a compartment having an open side formed in said cylindrically shaped member, a finger grip formed on the external surface of said cylindrical member, a closure member covering the open side of said compartment, said closure member having a discharge opening therein, and means closing said discharge opening, said cylindrical member being rotatable by said linger grip a sufficient amount to bring the open side of said compartment into registry with said discharge opening, said closure member being then movable in unison with said cylindrically mounted member to change the position of said closure means to open said discharge opening, whereby an article may be dispensed from said compartment.

15. In dispensing apparatus, in combination, a base, a member rotatably mounted on said base, a plurality of compartments formed in said member each adapted to contain a plurality of articles and having open sides, movable closure means closing the open sides of said compartments, Said closure means having a discharge opening formed therein, and means normally closing said discharge opening, said first-mentioned means and said rotatablymounted member being manually movable to change the position of said rst-mentioned closure means and said rotatably mounted member to permit an article to be dispensed from any one of said compartments through said discharge opening.

16. In dispensing apparatus, in combination, a base, a compartment pivotally mounted on said base containing a plurality of articles, said compartment having an open side parallel to the pivotal axis 01: said compartment, means for mov ing said compartment on its pivotal axis, a closure member covering the open side of said cornpartment, said closure member having a discharge opening therein, means closing said discharge opening, said compartment being rotatable a sufficient amount to bring the open side of said compartment into registry with said discharge opening, said closure member then being movable with said compartment to change the position of said closure means with respect to said compartment and said closure member to open said discharge opening', and means to limit the discharge of articles from said compartment to a single article each time the compartment is rotated.

LARs HEDSTRM. 

